Marjolein Lanzing (PhD candidate at Philosophy and Ethics, School of Innovation Sciences) wins the first prize in the IkSchrijf essay contest with her controversial essay ‘De Vrouw en de Stofzuiger’ (The Woman and the Vacuum Cleaner) in which she argues that ethics plays (and should play) a crucial role in educational programs at universities of technology. In her essay she focuses on the ethical aspects of technological progress. Lanzing won € 1000,- and a publication in the anniversary issue of Filosofie Magazine en iFilosofie, which will appear this fall.

An excerpt from the essay:

Translated from Dutch: "They are great designers, my students. They present ideas that would embarrass Isaac Asimov. Yet, it’s more challenging to assess the societal impact of their designs; to take a step back and to ask yourself what kind of society you would like to live in and to judge whether your design undermines or strengthens that vision. We make something of the future every day. The question is how to make something meaningful. And that is only possible if we ask the right ethical questions."